University of Toronto
The 360º Corporation: Tools for Achieving Corporate Purpose
University of Toronto

The 360º Corporation: Tools for Achieving Corporate Purpose

Taught in English

Some content may not be translated

4,017 already enrolled

Course

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals

Sarah Kaplan

Instructor: Sarah Kaplan

4.8

(63 reviews)

Beginner level

Recommended experience

8 hours to complete
3 weeks at 2 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • See *how* all business models create trade-offs that impact stakeholders, and *why* it is urgent to address environmental and social challenges.

  • Learn 4 *practical* modes of action leaders can use: analyzing trade-offs, creating shared value, innovating around trade-offs, & experimentation.

  • Explore *tools* for corporate purpose, social responsibility, sustainability, ESG, CSR, ethics, corporate citizenship and stakeholder capitalism.

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Assessments

8 quizzes

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There are 4 modules in this course

This week, you’ll learn about what stakeholder capitalism is and why the shift from shareholder capitalism is taking place. You’ll explore the different terms—CSR, ESG, corporate purpose, sustainability, social impact, etc.—and understand how they relate to each other in considering the role of business in society. You’ll develop an understanding about why action is urgent and why traditional excuses for slow action may no longer be supportable. You will also see why achieving social responsibility and purpose is challenging. Finally, you’ll get introduced to the 4 modes of action of the 360º Corporation and see how they can be practical solutions to the social and environmental challenges facing companies today.

What's included

5 videos9 readings2 quizzes1 discussion prompt

This week, you’ll learn about stakeholder trade-offs—what they are and how you can identify them. You will develop analytical tools for seeing how every business model has trade-offs embedded in it. Understanding trade-offs is the starting point for making progress, and we call this Mode 1 action. Without knowing what the trade-offs are, it is hard to make progress. Next, you’ll learn about the most popular way of addressing trade-offs which is in creating “shared value” or win-wins (Mode 2 action). By creating a business case for action, you can rethink trade-offs to find solutions that are both good for the bottom line and good for society. You’ll see how the concept of shared value can be inspirational for leaders, but also how it may stymie more innovative solutions. You will see how the business case can sometimes backfire or allow for only incremental progress.

What's included

5 videos5 readings2 quizzes1 discussion prompt

This week, we’ll explore how innovation and experimentation can address tougher trade-offs. The way to move beyond the business case is to think about stakeholder trade-offs as opportunities and inspirations for innovative solutions (Mode 3 action). You’ll explore case examples of how companies are creating transformational innovation to solve pressing challenges. You’ll also learn about how experimentation may be a way forward when solutions aren’t immediately obvious (Mode 4 action). Finally, you’ll discover 4 kinds of mistakes that companies make when trying to pursue CSR.

What's included

3 videos4 readings2 quizzes1 discussion prompt

This week, we’ll turn your focus to the role of corporate governance and leadership in creating a 360º Revolution. You’ll learn about emerging trends in investor stewardship that are creating new pressures on boards of directors and CEOs. You will also explore guidelines for reforming corporate governance to match the challenges of the 21st century. Then, you’ll turn to an exploration of your own role as a leader. This course is based in the idea that you can lead from any chair, from front-line worker or supervisor to the CEO and board of directors. You will focus on the courage you will need to lead, and you will develop a “to do” list of actions you can take.

What's included

4 videos6 readings2 quizzes

Instructor

Instructor ratings
4.8 (26 ratings)
Sarah Kaplan
University of Toronto
6 Courses19,003 learners

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